Success Story

The Hiruyan Girls Self Help Group (SHG) established in September 2012 with the objective of preventing HIV/STI through peer education, home based care and support, and strengthening economic status of the group and other MARPs. Currently the group has 18 members though it was established by 24 members/volunteers. 

Photo: group discussion of the Hiruyan SHG

The SHG witness an astonishing result in creating awareness and bringing behavioral change about preventing mechanisms of HIV/STI, utilization and promotion of condom, test and treatment of HIV/STI (monthly for STI and once in 3 months for HIV) via peer education. The benefit related to peer education is not concentrated to the members only; rather the group throws light and psyches social initiation to the surrounding environment. The most surprising performance of the group comes when we consider their culture of saving and IGA. By participating, with in a very short period of time, in different income generating activities currently the group has a total capital of birr 273,667 and one Bajaj (purchased 85,000). The impact of this group is also extended and creates opportunity to its six members to come out from waitresses and started their own business. These and all other unmentioned efforts of the SHG pull them to receive outstanding performance award from 120 towns in 2012.  

By Workwoha Mekonen, Director,

Business Development and Action Research, ORDA

It was in the morning of 24 August 2010 at 9:20 Am when a team of experts, from ORDA and Oxfam Canada arrived at Worekalo Ela Kebele, Qutire 14 in Habru district, North Wollo Zone. After being introduced with members of the Community Conversation team, the very humble and committed CCF (Seid Nigatu) invited the team to visit a farm where women were demonstrating their plowing skill. Impressed by the change taking place, questions were posed to the CC group:

When did this engagement of women in plowing started? The answer was straight forward: "After the project intervention." Then the second question was about women's prior experience and engagement in plowing? One woman responded, "Yes, I used to plow!" Then the team asked "how/why and what their experience was? How do they feel now after having seen more women taking up this role of men?"

As a result, the center of the discussion became at this woman, Hawa Endris Ali, and her husband Ato Fantaw Addisie who was also in the meeting.

The reason why Wro. Hawa has been engaged in plowing because her husband Ato Fantaw was most of the time sick. As the situations worsen, the couple suffered from loses of male children who could have taken up the plowing role at least after some years. The family managed to secure support from friends and family members. But, how long will they depend on such support? It becomes increasingly frustrating to receive frequent support that Hawa boldly took up the plowing role in a bid rescuing her family from starvation.

Did the community encourage Hawa as brave, taking her destiny in her own hands? Let us follow the story ...

New generation of Women engaged in plowing Hawa pointed out "My fellow women considered me as showy, pretending to be smart and impressive by engaging in men's business, and labeling me as if I failed to play my role as a woman. Because the perception against such women is taken as someone who is not capable of taking care of her family responsibility at home properly" and is not encouraged or accepted, especially by fellow women". Participants commented one possible reason for the women to see her engagement to this very traditional role of men as threatening is because she could be seen as a standard to measure women's contribution to their family. Partially, they have a reason because the men will get a good excuse to harass their wives', even though they actually do not want their engagement in plowing. Because, a man that employs females' labor for plowing is the most disrespected in this community, which was also Ato Fantaw's painful experience. But, it was not for showy or to humiliate others. Had they been able to see it genuinely, Wro. Hawas' effort was never to be showy reasons, but rather to rescue her family and be exemplary that sends a message "Look at me how I can plough; observe me how I win poverty".

On the other hand, Ato Fantaw tells his heart breaking story that most part of his life was not productive and his poor health was aggravated by the mourning of his lost children. "I always feel sorry for my wife that she was double burdened with both a man's and a woman's responsibility on the one hand due to my poor health and on the other, we were not fortunate to enjoy the love and support of our children. I suffer from inferiority and a feeling of helplessness". My fellow men considered me as weak and incapable of taking care of my family. As a result, I experienced low self esteem, sense of isolation and deep experience of poverty and marginalization. I always ask myself, is it not because I am sick and have no son to protect the family that my wife is exposed to what is not her traditional role? This feeling was more painful than the difficult life we had".

This sad emotion of Ato Fantaw was shared by the team, because, children especially male children are considered as a social insurance in rural Ethiopia, and the possibility of not having, and even much worse, losing them is so devastating.

Wro. Hawa finally concluded the couple's story by saying, "Thanks to this project, the community started to understand plowing role can well be played by women as well. Today, I am happy and proud to be pioneer for women's plowing in my community. I am grateful for this project that made my role to "shine" and not a reason for mistreatment any more".

This great effort of the couple (woman's plowing) to overcome their problem, should have been appreciated, encouraged, respected and rewarded. However, due to the perception associated with the gender based division of labor, the family instead suffers from criticism and marginalization. While the couple deserve to be happy and proud of what      

they do and who they are, they were let down by their community to pass through a sad and depressed life. How long then should such biased thinking be tolerated and allowed to affect families with capabilities to challenge their problems? Shouldn't there be a space and avenue open to women and men who would like to go out of their traditional role?

From the hard realities of this couple's life experience, the gender based division of labor exposes families either to the very problem itself, or face discrimination and marginalization if they went out of the traditional way to fight the problem. This affects individuals and families at the forefront but the national development as a whole that need to be challenged and changed. ORDA's gender work emanates from this very principle. What was embarrassing for Hawa and Fantaw is an act of bravery and exemplary to the community, showing the social nature of the division of labor. Yet, it requires more work to help people understand the consequences associated with the division of labor and the need to bring about social change.

A woman not scrupling to adopt new technology

It was really very hard to get an individual who thinks for change of life through practicing Apple development in Arbit Kebele, as dwellers expressed. This perception has now changed in the Kebele as there are some farmers who showed improved life through Apple production. W/ro Wubit Taddesse is mentioned as exemple among those few successful farmers who practiced the Apple production technology in the same Kebele.

W/ro Wubit is among one of the farmers who received Apple seedlings from ORDA. When such distribution undertook, she reminded that the training provided by experts had opened her eyes to be involved in Apple development. Thereafter, she started taking care of her seedlings and also received continuous technical assistance from experts, W/ro Wubit stated. All these supports enabled Wubit to have around 180 Apple trees.  Accordingly, W/ro Wubit, she generates a minmum of 55,000.00 Birr annually from selling of Apple fruits.

The Apple development that she engaged has created not only income but also work motivations for her, who is married and mother of four. Accordingly, she also engaged in vegetables and poultry production. She reported that she earned birr 600 from sale of cabbage and beetroot and birr 500 from sale of eggs.

W/ro Wubit has built her capacity in financial management and provided an accounting document, on which she records her daily income and expenditures. Misganaw Mairegu, a Livelihood Officer in Wadla Project Office of ORDA, said that this makes her different from others who have also engaged in Apple development in Arbit kebele in Wadla woreda.

The income Wubit generates from Apple, vegetables and poultry production has transformed her family into prosperous and made her repay her credit of birr 4000.00. Above all, she widens Apple development by purchasing land with a cost of 7000.00 Birr.

The woman who gained assistance from ORDA has paved a road for her family to move to better life. The income she earns from Apple is adequate to sufficiently manage the livelihood of her family with six members; it has given security for their children who attend grade seven, six and five. Practicing Apple development technology without scrupling is a means not only for W/ro Wubit to let her marriage more joyful but also for the family to build self-confidence. 

“…Now All These…”

By Masresha Molla

My name is Maritu Masresha, 20 years old and a follower of Orthodox Christianity. I live in Chika Sefer, Kebele 02, Addis Zemen town, South Gondar Administrative zone. . I have been am a commercial sex worker for the last 4 years; a livelihood option I am left with after I dropped out from grade 9th in 2007. I quit learning due to lack of economic support and discouraged by failure to pass my grade 9 exam.

Before participating in "Addis Mela"/TransACTION project's commercial sex workers peer education program, I had limited knowledge about STI, ways of transmissions and preventions of HIV/AIDS, including the difference between HIV and AIDS. I didn't have the right and positive attitude towards People Living with HIV. I also judge HIV status of someone by looking at his/her physical appearance. Like many of my fellow people, I thought STI is transmitted by sitting and /or urinating on hot stone or by urinating in the direction of the moon. I never knew the relationship between HIV and STI. I assume that STI could only be treated by traditional medicine rather than modern treatment. I use condom only with new clients, not with my regular clients and my boy friend. I never check the quality of condoms before using and do not dispose properly. I was ashamed of buying condom. I never made any testing for HIV and STI, because I was afraid of going out of business due to stigma and discrimination from the community if I become positive. I also spend most part of my income by drinking with my friends except sending some money to my mother.

HOWEVER, NOW ALL THESE STORIES have CHANGED; thanks to "Addis Mela" (TransACTION) project's commercial sex workers peer education program, which I joined since March, 2011. My knowledge, attitude and practices in relation to HIV/AIDS and STI have been changed so much. Among the changes, I'm well informed about how HIV/AIDS and STI can be transmitted and prevented as well as symptoms of STI. I have identified risky behaviors that could expose to HIV and I'm refraining myself from these behaviors. I have understood the difference between HIV and AIDS. I have realized how HIV counseling and testing helps to lead a healthy and programmed life. I started to check healthiness/ quality of condoms before using. I started to use condom persistently and appropriately with all my clients including my regular clients and my boyfriend. I'm discharging condoms appropriately. I'm also advising my friends to use condom persistently and appropriately with all their clients including their boyfriends. I have made HIV counseling and testing and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment two times since I have started my peer education sessions. I have also started to save money by participating in the community self help saving group established with my peers.

In general, my misconceived behavior and attitude has changed acquiring knowledge about HIV and AIDS and STI through the support of ORDA's "Addis Mela" TransACTION Project. I am optimistic that I will transform my business and livelihood option, strengthening my economic situation through securing loan from the self help saving group in which I'm a member .